1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device, a control method of the image forming device, and a control program for the image forming device. In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming device capable of transmitting a document to another device, a control method of the image forming device, and a control program for the image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a network image formation system is configured by a connection of a plurality of image forming devices (such as MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals) on a network. Each image forming device includes a storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the storage unit can save documents including image data obtained by scanning, data created by application software, and the like. Further, each image forming device can transmit/receive document data to/from a designated address.
Data received by an image forming device is saved in a user's box indicated by an address. The box refers to a data storage space provided for each user in an HDD.
The box has a limited capacity; therefore, it is considered that a function of automatically deleting data after a lapse of a predetermined saving period of time is provided for the box.
However, if the box has such an automatic deletion function, there is a possibility that an unread document is deleted. As a result, it is impossible to send a document to a receiver with reliability (there is occurred erroneous communication between a transmitter and a receiver).
In relation to such a technique, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-321046 discloses the following method. That is, if a job before printout is deleted, a printing device transmits a job retransmission request to a host device and, then, the host device retransmits job data to the printing device. According to this method, it is possible to print out retransmitted data.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-330737 discloses a printing device capable of allowing a transmitter of a print job to be cancelled to recognize that the print job will be deleted, and capable of notifying the transmitter of necessity that a print job must be retransmitted.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-323276 discloses a job management method of discriminating a print job printed out normally and, then, registered as a job log in a printing device and a print job having a possibility of retransmission, and deleting an unnecessary print job with reliability.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-306062 discloses a network system where a plurality of clients can access rewritable optical disc drives connected thereto via a server. Herein, the server manages a saving period of time of data to be recorded on an optical disc peculiar to a corresponding client, and automatically deletes unnecessary data in association with the management.
In order to solve the problems about automatic data deletion, it is considered that the following processes: (1) an unread document is not deleted, and (2) a reception-side device makes an inquiry whether a received document is deleted to a transmission-side device, must be performed.
However, if the method (1) is adopted, there arises a problem that if all saved documents are unread, a document cannot be newly received.
On the other hand, if the method (2) is adopted, there arises a problem that both the reception-side device and the transmission-side device must have a control function of confirming whether or not data is deleted. In addition, there arises a problem that the reception-side device cannot make an inquiry if the transmission-side device is turned off.
As described above, both the methods (1) and (2) have a problem that reduction in erroneous communication and reduction in capacitive load of a box are not achieved together.